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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23089030">lassos of love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonlali/pseuds/sonlali'>sonlali</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cuddling Ficlets [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Schitt's Creek</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Argument With Resolution, Crying, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s06e08 The Presidential Suite, Healthy Communication, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:55:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,693</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23089030</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonlali/pseuds/sonlali</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>David and Patrick argue after the debacle with their engagement photos, resulting in hurt feelings on both ends. But never fear — healthy communication and cuddles are here! </p>
<p>slight spoilers for s06e08 The Presidential Suite</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Patrick Brewer/David Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cuddling Ficlets [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1614172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>209</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>lassos of love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelilahMcMuffin/gifts">DelilahMcMuffin</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>prompt fill for DelilahMcMuffin from <a href="https://language-of-love.tumblr.com/post/190450918007/cuddling-prompts-send-me-a-and-ill-write-a">this cuddling prompt list.</a> thanks for the prompt!</p>
<p>15. While someone’s crying</p>
<p>title from "People Like Us" by The Mamas &amp; The Papas</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as the door clicks shut behind Stevie, Patrick stands from the chair he’s been sitting stiffly in for the past hour. He immediately begins pacing the floor, his fists clenching and unclenching subconsciously. He looks up to see David hovering near the door uncertainly. Patricks turns away and tries to force his jaw to unlock, annoyed by David’s timidity because apparently David can just say <i>whatever</i> he wants but gets to look hurt when Patrick has the audacity to be angry. He hears David’s footsteps slowly approaching from behind him, stopping on the other side of his new coffee table from Jake. </p>
<p>“What?!” Patrick barks, spinning around to face David.</p>
<p>“Okay, <i>that</i> tone is neither necessary nor appreciated.” David’s arms fly up to cross protectively over his chest. </p>
<p>“Oh, it’s not <i>necessary</i> is it?” Patrick hates the snide tone in his voice, but he can’t seem to prevent it. “So, you get to decide how I look and also when my anger is necessary, is that it? Is that how this is going to work?”</p>
<p>“Mkay, this is a gross misrepresentation of today’s events.” David’s expressive face is twisting its way through a dozen emotions at once. </p>
<p>“Is it now? Tell me how I was supposed to interpret you deciding I needed to look different for our engagement photos, David.”</p>
<p>“I… I never said that.” David’s head is shaking so vehemently that an image passes briefly through Patrick's mind of David's head flying right off his neck like some sort of a grotesque cartoon character, and he has to stifle a snort of laughter completely inappropriate for the situation. David continues speaking anxiously. “I… Patrick, that’s not what I meant. I just…”</p>
<p>“You just what, David?” Patrick snaps after several moments pass where David opens and shuts his mouth wordlessly. “You just wanted to make me into something I’m not? Wanted to imply that you don’t like the way I look?”</p>
<p>“No! God, no!” David rakes a hand over his head, destroying his perfectly-styled hair. “Fuck, that’s not it at all! I’ve never wanted to—”</p>
<p>“I just don’t understand why you’re trying to make this wedding — to make <i>us</i> — into something we’re not.” Patrick shakes his head and puts his hands on his hips, finally halting his furious pacing.</p>
<p>“Something we’re not… You said that before — <i>we’re not those people. Thoooose</i> people.” David’s voice rises sharply with each word, his hands forming harsh slashes through the air with each movement. “Who exactly are we then, Patrick? Tell me that. And what kinds of people <i>aren’t</i> we? People who want an elaborate wedding? People who care about aesthetics and personal appearance? Vain, arrogant, self-absorbed people — is that who you mean, Patrick? Is that what you’re trying to say? Because I <i>am</i> that kind of person! I want pageantry and elaborate wedding plans. I care about my appearance and want to look my best for our wedding, and I want that for you too. You knew this about me going in!”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sorry, is this somehow about you again, David? I thought we were talking about my feelings about being turned into a goddamn Cheeto, but apparently it’s all about you again. Just like this whole wedding planning process has been so far.”</p>
<p>Patrick regrets the words as soon as they leave his mouth. It isn’t even true. Sure, he has ceded the majority of wedding planning to David, but David has asked for his opinions every step of the way. But it has always been this way with Patrick, ever since he was a kid. Patrick fights dirty. David shouts and swears and flings insults, but Patrick has always been able to pick at a tender scab and make it bleed. It’s something he hated about himself with Rachel — whenever they fought, Patrick would find himself poking at her sorest spots. He never thought he’d do this with David. </p>
<p>Patrick watches as David physically recoils like Patrick’s words are a slap. He crosses his arms over his chest again, and his beautiful, expressive face drops into an impassive mask. Patrick’s only seen David like this once before, and he swore to himself he would never make David retreat into himself in that way again. </p>
<p>“I think I should go.” David's voice is flat and emotionless. Patrick is still standing motionless in the same spot, his own harsh words ringing through his ears, when David slams the door shut. </p>
<p>Hot tears spill over Patrick’s cheeks — shame, regret, anger, embarrassment, hurt all swirling like a sick cocktail in his veins, making his stomach churn and chest tighten. <i>No, no, no, no, fuck! This can’t be happening.</i> Patrick’s fingernails bite into the palms of his hands so sharply that he cries out. Patrick looks down at his orange-tinged hands and feels another surge of disgust. <i>Wrong, wrong, this is all wrong!</i> This day should not have gone this way. He shouldn’t look this way. Their engagement photos shouldn’t be an absolute disaster. He shouldn’t be crying alone in his apartment, his fiancé god knows where. </p>
<p>Patrick jumps to his feet. He can fix this. He needs to fix this. He races across the apartment and flings open the door and almost runs directly into the crumpled figure in the hallway. <i>David</i>. He didn't leave. Patrick drops to his knees without a second thought.</p>
<p>“David, baby, I’m so sorry.”</p>
<p>“Patrick, I’m s-sorry! I d-didn’t mean it! I’m so fucking sorry!”</p>
<p>Their words overlap in a jumble of apologies and tears. Patrick ends up sitting on the floor of the hallway between David’s legs, his back to David’s chest. David wraps his arms securely around Patrick and tucks his chin over Patrick’s shoulder. </p>
<p>“Patrick, I’m so sorry.” David sniffles loudly. “I was way out of line. I just — I just got out of control, I guess. I wanted everything to be… perfect and beautiful and… Shit, I don’t know. For me, I feel my best and most beautiful with a <i>lot</i> of work — hair, nails, skin, the whole package. And I thought... “</p>
<p>David pauses and sniffs again, squeezing his arms almost painfully tight across Patrick’s chest. Patrick feels a tear splash onto his neck. He grabs hold of one of David’s hands and laces their fingers together.</p>
<p>“It’s not that I don’t think you’re beautiful, Patrick. I think you’re the most beautiful fucking thing I’ve ever seen. I just worried that the camera would wash you out and I thought… Well, clearly I wasn’t thinking or else I would have known how stupid—”</p>
<p>“David, it’s okay. I understand.” Patrick brings their joined hands to his mouth to kiss David’s engagement rings. </p>
<p>“No!” David cries out. “No, I shouldn’t have made you feel like you weren’t beautiful, like you weren’t good enough, or like I didn’t love you the way you are.”</p>
<p>“No, you shouldn’t have.” Patrick speaks in a slow, steady voice. “It… it really hurt my feelings. And it also made me angry. I wish you just would have been straightforward with me. If you had told me ahead of time that you were worried about me looking washed out in the photos, or if you had brought up the spray tanning in advance… I just didn’t like having that sprung on me. It made me feel like I wasn’t… wasn’t what you wanted.”</p>
<p>“No, Patrick, no. Honey, I’m so sorry. I never… you are <i>everything</i> I have ever wanted.” David presses his face against Patrick’s neck, his body wracking with silent sobs. </p>
<p>Patrick can no longer stand to not be looking David in the eyes. He turns around and takes David’s face in his hands, gently wiping away tears with his thumbs.</p>
<p>“David, you’re everything I’ve ever wanted too, and I’m so sorry for making you feel like I don’t love the person you are. I know you care about appearances, but I don’t think you’re vain or shallow. When I said that we aren’t <i>those people</i>, I didn’t mean people like you, David. I know you want our wedding to be beautiful, and I want that too. I just don’t want us to become so consumed with making everything perfect that we forget to enjoy it.”</p>
<p>David’s red-rimmed eyes meet Patrick’s. He nods slowly. Patrick leans in to press a kiss to David’s forehead, lingering slightly as he marvels at this incredible man he gets to marry. </p>
<p>“I also owe you an apology f-for, um, for what I said earlier. I lashed out, and I’m so sorry, David. I don’t think that you’ve made the wedding all about you—”</p>
<p>“But I have!” David interrupts, pulling away from Patrick and fussing with the cuffs of his sleeves. “I’ve made everything about me and about what I want, and it’s not fair to you.”</p>
<p>“No, David, listen to me. I have allowed you to make all the decisions. You’ve asked for my opinions repeatedly, but I’ve trusted your choices. That was on me. You’ve been including me in the planning since the beginning. But I think… um, I think maybe I’d like to start playing a bigger role in the plans. I think I’ve realized that I have more opinions on this kind of stuff than I originally thought.”</p>
<p>“Ooh, yes!” David’s head bobbles excitedly. “I would love that. To be clear, that doesn’t mean you’ll be allowed to wear jeans to the wedding or, I don’t know, pick hydrangeas for the floral arrangements.” David shudders at the thought, and Patrick loves him so damn much.</p>
<p>“I’m very comfortable with allowing you to have the final say on the floral arrangements.” Patrick cuts off any further points David may have about appropriate flowers by capturing his mouth in a deep kiss. When he finally pulls back, David looks pleasantly flushed, his eyes slightly dazed. Patrick rests his forehead against David’s, their limbs tangled together and fingers interlaced. </p>
<p>“I love you, Patrick.” David’s whispers. “I don’t want to change anything about you.”</p>
<p>“I love you, too, David." Patrick kisses David softly, losing himself momentarily in the feeling. He pulls away just enough to murmur against David's lips. "I love you very much. Just as you are.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>come say hi on tumblr <a href="https://landofsonlali.tumblr.com/">@landofsonlali</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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